Osteospermum plant named ‘Fidostwhi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Fidostwhi’, characterized by its compact and mounded plant habit; relatively short internodes; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; large daisy-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Fidostwhi’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fidostwhi’.

The new Osteospermum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the program is to create and develop new Osteospermum cultivars with compact growh habit, freely branching and freely flowering habit and attractive inflorescence coloration.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventor in May, 2004 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Osteospermum ecklonis, not patented. The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands in October, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since November, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fidostwhi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fidostwhi’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum:

-   -   1. Compact and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Relatively short internodes.     -   3. Freely branching growth habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large daisy-type inflorescences with white-colored ray         florets.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the parent selections primarily in plant and growth habit as plants of the new Osteospermum are more compact in plant habit and more uniform in growth habit than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of the Osteospermum ‘Margarita Maria’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Osteospermum differed from plants of ‘Margarita Maria’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more compact than plants         of ‘Margarita Maria’.     -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more freely branching         than plants of ‘Margarita Maria’.     -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum flowered earlier than plants         of ‘Margarita Maria’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum. This photograph shows the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Osteospermum. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fidostwhi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in De Lier, The Netherlands during the spring and early summer in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25° C. Plants were pinched one time. Plants had been growing for eight weeks when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Fidostwhi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About one week at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 12 days at             22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About two weeks at             20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; whitish grey             in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Compact and mounded plant habit;             relatively short internodes, dense and bushy growth habit;             moderately vigorous. Inflorescences positioned above the             foliar plane on moderately strong peduncles.         -   Plant height.—About 15 cm to 17 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 24 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching,             about five to nine primary lateral branches per plant;             pinching enhances branching. Length: About 12 cm to 14 cm.             Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length: Relatively short,             about 2 mm to 6 mm. Strength: Strong, sturdy. Texture:             Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 144C.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 8.5 cm to 10 cm. Width: About 3 cm to 3.5 cm. Shape:             Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Coarsely             serrate; irregularly lobed. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Sparsely pubescent.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper             surface: Close to 137B. Developing leaves, lower surface:             Close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close             to 147A; venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 144B.             Petiole: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 144B. Color, lower surface: Close to             144A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elliptic to             slightly obovate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences             positioned beyond the foliage on moderately strong             peduncles; inflorescences terminal and axillary. Disc and             ray florets developing acropetally on a capitulum.             Inflorescences face mostly upright. Freely flowering habit;             about 10 to 40 inflorescences developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—In The Netherlands, plants of the new             Osteospermum flower continuously from spring to frost in the             autumn. Early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about             eight weeks after planting.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—At temperatures of 14° C. to 20°             C., inflorescences last about 17 days on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About             1.2 cm. Shape: Globular to ovoid. Color: Close to 137A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.5 cm to 7 cm. Depth             (height): About 5 mm. Disc diameter: About 8 mm to 10 mm.             Receptacle diameter: About 4 mm. Receptacle height: About 4             mm.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.3 cm to 3.5 cm. Width: About             1 cm. Shape: Elliptic to slightly obovate. Apex: Rounded.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth, glabrous;             satiny. Number of ray florets per inflorescence/arrangement:             About 18 to 20 in one to 1.5 whorls. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Between N155A and N155D. With             development, blushed slightly with close to 76B When opening             and fully opened, lower surface: Close to N77C; longitudinal             stripes, close to N77A.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.             Length: About 5 mm to 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Number of             disc florets per inflorescence: About 60 to 70. Color:             Immature: Apex and mid-section, close to 71A; base, close to             77D. Mature: Apex and mid-section, close to 71B; base, close             to 77D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 12 to 14 in a             single whorl. Length: About 8 mm to 9 mm. Width: About 1 mm             to 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely             pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower             surface: Close to 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 10 cm to 11 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: Close to N77A. Pollen amount: Moderate to             abundant. Pollen color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium: Present on             both ray and disc florets. Pistil length: About 1.5 cm.             Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 79A. Style             length: About 8 mm. Style color: Close to 79A.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Osteospermum. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Osteospermums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind     and temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Fidostwhi’ as illustrated and described. 